Carton



y 9, 4. c. H. GOODYEAR 2,348,378

CARTON Filed April 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR CHARLES H. GOODYEAR M/27.62am

HIS ATTORNEY May 9, 1944. c, GOODYEAR 2,348,378

CARTON Filed April 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES h. OODYEAR BY I HIS. ATTORNEY Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT, orslcs Application April 30, 1942, Serial No. 441,242

1 Claim.

. when the carton is opened for use by pulling opposite sides apart.

Still another object is the provision of a carton blank which is readily handled through folding and gluing machines now in use to emerge therefrom in a flat bundle or pack having the characteristics described.

My invention possesses other objects and valuable features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description, and the drawings, as I may adopt variant forms of my invention within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my carton, portions thereof being broken away to show the structure.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank out of which my carton is made; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank after the folding operations have been begun.

In terms of broad inclusion my carton comprises a single piece of fibreboard creased and cut for folding and gluing into a flat pack, which by the simple movement of pulling two opposite sides of the pack apart, opens the pack into a rectangular carton, having four side walls, with bottom forming flaps falling automatically into place, and cover flaps ready for closing. The automatic positioning of the bottom formin flaps is achieved by connecting them preferably in two pairs, with a hinge joint between the flaps of each pair extending angularly across both from the comer between them. Thus, from the flat pack folded position in which the carton leaves the machine in which it is made, the separation of the side walls to open the carton pulls or unfolds the connected flaps into the bottom plane. At least one flap of the four is shaped to seat in the fold line between a side wall and its connected flap, so as to hold the carton securely in open position. Preferably also one of the flaps of one pair is the same in shape and dimensions as the inside shape and dimensions of the carton bottom, and is so arranged that it is the innermost of the flaps and the last to unfold into place, so that when the carton is open and the bottom flaps are in position, the inside bottom presents a smooth even surface from wall to wall.

In greater detail, the carton of my invention is made from a one-piece blank of flbreboard, or other suitable material, shown in extended flat position in Figure 2. This blank has already passed through the forming and creasing mechanisms which left it divided into aligned panels l2, l3, l4 and I5, constituting the side walls of the carton. These-will later be connected into arectangular ring by folding-on the creases ll, l8 and I9 and gluing the tab 2| to the marginal I edge of panel IS. .The blank also includes cover forming flaps 23, 24 and 25 joined to one edge of the aligned walls by the crease 21; and bottom forming flaps 28, 29, 3|! and 3! Joined to the aligned walls on the opposite edge by the crease 33..

The cover flaps may be of any suitable type, the ordinary tuck-inform shown being satisfactory for most uses. bottom forming flaps, each of which is hinged to a side by the crease 33, are creased and shaped to particularly fit them for the part they have to play in the complete structure. The .near edges 34 and 31 of the two outer flaps 28 and 3| respectively are perpendicular to the crease 33 to facilitate folding and gluing; and the remote ends of the two inner flaps 29 and 30 are given creases 38 and 39 respectively extending angularly from the inner remote corners so that the triangular tabs 4i and 42 respectively. so formed,,,may be folded back. The outer comer of the flap 3| is preferably removed to the line 43; and the outer corner of flap 30, next to flap 29, is also removed to the line 44. When the carton is set up for use, these flaps are exposed on the botto and the angled or beveled ends improve the appearance and also avoid loose comers.

The folding of the .bottom flaps leaves the blank as shown in Figure 3, with each flap overlying the wall to which it is hinged along the fold line or crease 33; and with the triangular tabs 4| and 42 folded back upon their respective flaps 29 and 3.. Areas A and B on surfaces of flaps adjacent these tabs, and on area C on the marflap 3| together with the underlying wall ii to which it is hinged is next folded over along the crease IS, the adhesive coated area B on the flap being pressed upon the area B on the tab 42, uniting these surfaces to'hinge flap 30 to flap 3i along the hinge or fold line 39. The tab 2| now underlies the adhesive coated area C and unites with the marginal edge of wall It to connect the four side walls.

In these folding operations, the extension 01' the flap edge 31 in parallelism with the crease l9, and the full width of the inner end of the flap 3|, materially aids in controlling the flap 3| in the folding mechanism and insuring the precision of the folding. Furthermore the square inner end of the flap seats in the crease between the wall l4 and the flap 30, as best seen in Figure 1; and thus aids in holding rigid the open box. In the several views, corners are identified by numerals l, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, so that the folding operations may be more easily followed. It is to be noted that the edge 36 of flap 28 is perpendicular to the hinge line, and that the flap on this edge is preferably the same width as the adjacent wall I3 is long. This is because in the setting up or unfolding of the carton, the edge 36 seats in the fold between the wall l3 and its connected flap 29, and the square end of this flap 28 controls more than any other factor the squareness and rigidity of the carton. These values are both enhanced if the flap 28 is rectangular and the same length as the walls l2 and I4, so that it supports and braces all around the periphery of the bottom structure.

The flat pack comprising the carton now emerges from the machine to be packed for shipment to the user. At its thickest through the glued areas A and B, the pack is the thickness of five pieces of the material. Its length and width are substantially as indicated by the dimension lines L and W of Figure 3, thus forming an extremely compact pack even for a large carton.

This is of course a matter of extreme importance in shipment and storage of such an article.

If the preceding explanation has been understood it will be seen that the carton as it comes from the machine, includes the four side walls in a continuous band, each wall having a flap hingediy connected along its lower edge .by a fold or crease line; that the flaps are folded inwardly against their respective walls, and connected in pairs by a hinge Joint between the flaps of each pair, the hinge joints extending from diagonally opposite bottom comers across at least one of the flaps of each pair. It will also be clear that ii the opened carton is to have square comers, the end of at least one flap of at least one pair of hinged flaps must be square, and that such a result is furthered and the carton'strengthened if all the ends of flaps which seat in the fold line between walls and flaps, are made square, and one flap dimensioned to flll the bottom from wall to wall.

When it is desired to open the carton for use, opposite long sides are grasped and pulled apart. This spreading movement of the side walls automatically pulls-the flaps out into place to form a bottom because of their hinged connections, the large flap 28 closing down last to form a smooth tight bottom.

In Figure 1, a nearly open carton is shown so that the interrelation of the parts may be seen. Arrows indicate the directions of movements.

I claim:

A carton comprising side and end walls,'and a bottom including a flap hinged on each wall, each side flap being hinged'to a different end flap on lines intersecting diagonally opposite corners, one of the side flaps having three free edges seating in the hinge folds between the other three flaps and their respective connected walls, and at least one of said end flaps having a free square end seating in the hinge fold between a side flap and its connected well.

CHARLES H. GOODYEAR. 

